Page 1
I NSIDE
The Federal Id
Peace OutReach..............Pg 2
Public Interest
Litigation........................Pg 2
Staff Changes................... Pg 2
Activity in Focus................Pg 3
Articles.............................. Pg 3
Peace Boat .......................Pg 3
Congradulations...............Pg 3
Calander of Events...........Pg 4
The team of International experts on Federal Latest Publications............Pg 4
Wilkins,Hon. Bob Rae, Prof.David Cameron,D
l No 24/2, 28th Lane Colombo - Off Flower 7
Rd,
Sri Lanka Vol 2 Issue 3 (July-September 2004) 04 Pages - Issued Free
PTA HITS 25
More at :http://www.ipsnews.net/ africa/interna.asp?idnews=26102
Meeting Northern Media...
CPA's media unit together with a group of 32 provincial media people representing Kegalle, Galle, Matale, Kurunegala, Kandy, and Anuradhapura districts had the opportunity of meeting their Northern counterparts,members of the public and LTTE political leaders during their visit to Jaffna from Sept 16th-18th.
‘’Repealing the PTA is important in order to eradicate torture, and also to eradicate impunity which has developed in Sri Lanka as a result of Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict.The PTA, Emergency Regulations, and other pieces of legislation have given sweeping powers to the armed forces which sometimes result in human rights violations of a very serious nature.’’-Rohan Edrisinha,Director Legal Unit,CPA,19th July
A ternatives
Official Newsquarterly of the Centre
As part of ongoing work to educat the possible role of federalism in S an international network on fed Workshop on the theme of The Fed
CPA a 30 hou Federa schola provid federa federa Backgr on CD
three- Traffick 29
th
S training on aw gender skills t
Appro particip
sectio p u b institu inclu the P

l A ternatives
www.cpalanka.org
The Federal Idea...
ng work to educate the public and members of the media about of federalism in Sri Lanka, CPA with the Forum of Federations, l network on federalism organized a three day residential e theme of The Federal Idea, from 23rd -25th August in Wadduwa
tional experts on Federalism, L-R, Prof. Violeta Ruiz Almendral,Prof Yash Ghai,Roger ae, Prof.David Cameron,Dr. Ash Narain Roy,and Prof. Johanne Poirier, TS 25
Awareness on Trafficking of WOMEN
Media...
uarterly of the Centre for Policy Alternatives, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
/
er to
te anka t.The
er ing
tions
July
ther rovincial
nting , nd
had the g their
s of the t to
CPA and the Forum of Federations also conducted a 30 hour intensive certificate course on Comparative Federalism from 20th Aug to 11th Sept. Leading scholars on federalism from around the world provided an invaluable opportunity to learn about federalism and discuss specific issues in other federal countries. Background materials from the courses are available on CD at CPA.
CPA conducted a three-day workshop on Trafficking 29
th
Sept of to Women, 1
st
Oct. from The training workshop focused on awareness raising, gender sensitisation and skills training.
Approximately thirty participants from a cross
section of p u b l i c institutions including the Police,
Probations Dept, Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Migrant Services Centre and Civil Society attended.
© C P A

Page 2
A ternatives
July -September 2004
Official Newsquarterly of the Centre
CONTACTING CPA
CPA in collaboration with the For in the Town Council Hall, Buttala, Buttala Women’s Farmers Associ
Overall Coordinator of CPA Units: Dr. Paikiasothy
Dr P Saravanamuttu, Asanga Saravanamuttu Executive Director
E-mail: cpa_sara@sri.lanka.net
Welikala and Lionel Guruge of the CPA, and Professor Nicholas Haysom, who was Legal and Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) Contact person
Constitutional Affairs Advisor to the president of South Africa, spoke at the event.
Saman Gunathilaka
E-mail:
Participants included NGO leaders, cmev@cpalanka.org
teachers, religious dignitaries, and
Legal Unit
members of the forces.
Contact Person Rohan Edrisinha
Prof Nicholas Haysom spoke on the
E-mail:
South African experience of conflict cpalegal@diamond.lanka.net
transformation and how the
Media Unit Contact Person Sunanda Deshapriya Web http://www.cpalanka.org email cpa@cpalanka.org
Peace Outreach...
participation of civil society was obtained. He outlined the valuable lessons learnt in the area of E-mail:
international conflict resolution. media@cpalanka.org
Peace and Conflict Analysis Unit Contact Person
Dr Saravanamuttu outlined the pre situation in the Peace process. He pointed out that in the midst of the Kethesh Loganathan
current ceasefire, the new governm E-mail:
was composed of parties who are peace@cpalanka.org
against the devolution of power
Polling Unit Contact Person
required by the peace process. The discussion then focussed on h Pradeep Peiris
to engender the peace process in E-mail: cpapoll@diamond.lanka.net
Translation Unit Contact Person Gananathan Sivajothy E-mail: vibhasha@cpalanka.org Our Address 24/2, 28th Lane, Off Flower Road Colombo 7 Sri Lanka Tel: 94-1-565305/6 Fax: 94-74-714460
Staff Changes at CPA New Faces... Chatura
Randeniya joined Legal Unit as a Researcher in July . He has an LLB Hons from UOC. ...and they said Bye!
Kumaravadivel Gurupa joined Legal Unit as a Research Assistant in September .He is also a ordinater of Voice For P a National Peace Movement,and Action Partner for the Oxfam International Youth Parliament from Sri Lanka(2004-6)
Eranthi Premaratne,Nishara Mendis and Nadia Ishaq of Legal Unit an Nuwan Neranjana of Media Unit left CPA in the third quarter of 200
l
Rohan in Nepal...
IDEA, the Swedish based Internation NGO, conducted a series of consulta in Nepal on the topic of Constitutiona Reform. Rohan Edrisinha, Director L Unit, CPA, Professor Nicholas Haysom South Africa , and Professor Yash G the University of Hong Kong were in as international resource persons in seminars held for civil society group for Members of Parliament in Naga and Kathmandu, Nepal
© C P A
Up Irr No

ation with the Forum of Federations organised a public seminar, uncil Hall, Buttala, on July 31st on the Peace Process . The Peace Outreach...
’s Farmers Association provided logistical support locally.
uttu, Asanga nel Guruge of
las Haysom,
and ffairs Advisor to
South Africa, ent.
uded NGO leaders, us dignitaries, and
forces.
ysom spoke on the perience of conflict nd how the civil society was
tlined the valuable
the area of flict resolution.
ttu outlined the present
Peace process. He
in the midst of the e, the new government of parties who are olution of power peace process. hen focussed on how peace process in the
face of the various challenges there.
Asanga Welikala spoke on federalism and the ethnic problem -outlining a chronology of the ethnic situation from 1926 to the ISGA of 2004 .He defined federalism and elaborated its import in the current situation. Members of the audience including a monk present voiced a number of concerns and criticisms of the peace process and federalism. A lively and at times heated question and answer session followed.
2 squarterly of the Centre for Policy Alternatives, Colombo, Sri Lanka
e!
shaq of Legal Unit and
third quarter of 2004.
Sunanda Deshapriya, Head of Media Unit CPA and Victor Ivan ,Editor of Ravaya,at the discussion.
han in Nepal...
h based International
a series of consultations
pic of Constitutional risinha, Director Legal or Nicholas Haysom of
Professor Yash Ghai of ong Kong were invited source persons in the civil society groups and rliament in Nagarkott
epal
Kumaravadivel Guruparan joined Legal Unit as a Research Assistant in September .He is also a Co ordinater of Voice For Peace, a National Peace Movement,and Action Partner for the Oxfam International Youth Parliament from Sri Lanka(2004-6)
© C P A
Update on Irregular Nominations Case In April 2004, CPA filed writ applications in the Court of Appeal against the nominations as Members of Parliament persons whose names were not in the lists submitted to the E l e c t i o n Public Interest
Commissioner Litigation
prior to the G e n e r a l Election of 2nd April 2004. The applications were made by CPA and Mr. Rohan Edrsinha, Director of the Legal & Constitutional Unit. Counsel for one of the respondents made a preliminary objection as to the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal to hear the matter in view of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution, which provides that the writ jurisdiction in respect of the new Election Commission shall be
(>>Page 3)
Monaragala

Page 3
A ternatives
In the Press...
(>>Page exercised 2)
by the Supreme Court.
Gold for Joseph
Counsel for CPA contended that this provision does not come into effect since the Election Commission has not been constituted. The Court of Appeal agreed with this submission. Subsequently, one of the respondents appealed to the Supreme Court against this order of the Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court stated that as this question invloved an issue of Constitutional interpretation, the matter should be determined by the Supreme Court and granted leave to appeal. The application made by Mr. Sunanda Deshapriya, Director of the CPA Media Unit in the Court of Appeal was stayed pending the disposition of the appeal in the Supreme Court.
The Sanskrit word,Vibhasha means ‘alternative culture’ and this project is primarily involved with the Theory of Translation. The syllabus of the diploma in Translation Studies is basically divided into broad subject areas:the core curriculum, individual subject area specialisations and a final project. Some of the sub- division areas are: Basic Linguistic Theory as related to translation, comparative description of Sinhala, Thamil and English, forms of language, varieties, styles, registers and conventions, translation theory, different approaches to practical
Vibhasha re-opens,adds new Cen
July -September 2004
Articles by Rohan Edrisinha, Dr Saravanamuttu and Asanga Welikala appeared this quarter in I r u d i n a ( A u g 1),Divaina(July 4 t h ) , Lankadeepa(July 25th)and Dinamina(Aug 3)among others
Official Newsquarterly of the Centre for
translation, tra interpretation, and specialisations in prac
The existing 6 centre in Sept new cen Activity in Focus
Galle in Regiona 15th Oct The first quarterly N project was publishe October and Diplom course was adve newspapers in all th the 10th Oct. .The receiving applications The diploma course commence by mid Jan
Joseph Thavaraj Social Indicator, w a journalist with Express, has won Gold Medal f Performance from of Colombo in its En Diploma 2002.He a
the Media Studies Colombo Universi Journalism, which training, offers the as practical trainin for mid career jou those with som experience to acqu with university disc a recognized quali
Se Ja Fo Un in Yo Su h t p a br

3 uarterly of the Centre for Policy Alternatives, Colombo, Sri Lanka
ens,adds new Centre Boat Story
nslation, translation vs erpretation, and outside area of ecialisations in practical translation.
e existing 6 centres were re-opened in September 2004 . A new centre was opened in Focus
Galle in lieu of the Matara Regional Centre, on the 15th October .
Peace Boat is a Japan- e first quarterly Newsletter for this
based international non- oject was published at the end of
governmental and non- tober and Diploma in Translation
profit organization that urse was advertised in the
works to promote peace, wspapers in all three languages on
human rights, equal and e 10th Oct. .The closing date for
sustainable development eiving applications is 15th November.
and respect for the e diploma course is scheduled to
environment. CPAs, mence by mid January 2005. Gold for Joseph
Director, Legal Unit, Rohan Edrisinha was invited to join in the 46th Voyage of the Peace Boat travelling from Singapore to Colombo, 25th - 30th July and conducted a series of lectures on Constitutional Reform for Conflict Resolution for a group of international Graduates and Japanese Students . Judge C.J Weeramantry was the other resource person from Sri Lanka in this educational peace voyage. More information at :http:// www.peaceboat.org/ english/index.html
Sara off to USA...
Joseph Thavaraja, Researcher, Social Indicator, who was formerly a journalist with the Weekend Express, has won the Jiun Aoki Gold Medal for the Best Performance from the University of Colombo in its English Journalism Diploma 2002.He also won the best performance award for “Mechanisms of News C a s t i n g ” awarded by the Professor Hideo Shimizu Trust fund for the Media Studies in Sri Lanka. Colombo University’s Diploma in Journalism, which covers a year of training, offers theoretical as well as practical training in Journalism for mid career journalists and for those with some Journalistic experience to acquaint themselves with university discipline and obtain a recognized qualification
Sept 18th Osaka, Japan, Bhavani Fonseka of the Legal Unit left to participate in the Pan Asian Youth Leadership Summit. More at http://www.asia pacific2015.org/ brochure/index.html
Sept 12th- CPA's Executive Director, Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, left to take up a two month Eisenhower Fellowship in the USA. More details at http:// www.eisenhower fellowships.org/

Page 4
A ternatives
Official Newsquarterly of the Centre for
C
alander of Events
For more updates on latest and upcoming CPA events, visit http://www.cpalanka.org/calendar_events.html
Commencing, 14th July. A series of seminars on Globalisation and Human Rights, covering Land and Water Rights, Labour, Health and Education, held at the Marga Institute Auditorium on four consecutive Wednesdays 15th July, Public lecture by Professor Ashutosh Varshney, former Director, Centre for South Asia Studies and Professor of Political Science, University of Michigan, on the theme of “Antecedent Nationhood, Subsequent Statehood: Explaining the Relative Success of Indian Federalism.” 16th -18th July With Swedish-based International IDEA, a South Asia Regional Workshop, as part of IDEA’s Programm of Research and Dialogue on Political Parties. 19th July, With Centre for Human Rights and Development (CHRD) a public meeting, to discuss the 25 years of the operation of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1979 (PTA).
19th Aug, A public lecture ‘Novel Approaches to Constitution-making: The Kenyan Constitutional Review Process 2001 – 2002’, by Professor Yash Ghai, Professor of Law, University of Hong Kong, and former Chairperson, Constitution of Kenya Review Commission. 19th Aug, A seminar for policy makers, on Trafficking of Women following a review of national laws regarding trafficking of women recently conducted by CPA, as part of a regional study for UNIFEM. from 20th Aug to 11th Sept. with the Forum of Federations a 30 hour intensive certificate course on Comparative Federalism providing an invaluable opportunity to learn about federalism and discuss specific issues in other federal countries. 23rd -25th August ,with the Forum of Federations, a three day residential Workshop on the theme of The Federal Idea in Wadduwa.
29th Sept to 1st Oct, A three-day workshop on Trafficking of Women, focused on awareness raising, gender sensitisation and skills training, with an emphasis on making participants better equipped to deal with trafficking.
3rd July. Kethesh Loganathan, Director, Peace and Conflict Analysis Unit, was invited by the Inter-congregational (Women’s desk) of the Catholic Church to serve in a panel of resource persons for their Convention on “Building a New Future: Women as Peace Makers” 5thto 7thJuly, Johannesburg. Rohan Edrisinha, Director, Legal Unit, participated in the conference “Twenty Years of Human Rights Scholarships: Ten years of Democracy,” He presented a paper in the session on the Right to Vote, on the topic “The Sri Lankan Judiciary and the Franchise” 9th -22nd July ,London. Dr P Saravanamuttu, ED, CPA , made a presentation on Sri Lanka at a workshop on “Engaging Armed Groups in Peace Processes,” a project of Conciliation Resources’ Accord Programme. 18thto23rd July, Delhi. Pradeep Peries, Head of Social Indicator, in his capacity as Sri Lankan Survey Co-ordinator for the “State of Democracy Survey”, participated in a Trainer Training Workshop organised by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies(CSDS). The “State of Democracy Survey” is co -ordinated by CSDS and its Sri Lankan component is conducted in collaboration with Social Scientists Association (SSA). 25th - 30th July, Singapore –Colombo, Rohan Edrisinha was invited to join in the 46th Voyage of the Peace Boat travelling from Singapore to Colombo, and conducted a
This free newsletter is published by the Centre for Policy Alternatives, N
C
(Content or re-pub CPA')
July -September 2004
series Resoluti Student
July
July 30 Herath, ,with P Wellass semina approxi 2nd - 1 of Soci organise on Glo Sept 18 left to Summi
From P delegat League,
August
[MMA], Asad Ka Assemb forces a sector v Kethesh and Asa Constitu facing t
A del by Dr T (NLD),a discussi the pro the con Kethesh Asanga
September
EVENTS ATTENDED
Fiscal Arrange a Feder Lanka (a mon by Asan Welikala availab Sinhala

4 arterly of the Centre for Policy Alternatives, Colombo, Sri Lanka
vents
EVENTS ATTENDED cont...
series of lectures on Constitutional Reform for Conflict ents, visit
Resolution for a group of international Graduates and Japanese tml ly
Students . July 30th ,Monaragala Lionel Guruge, Jean Godlieb, Ashoka Herath, Dr P Saravanamuttu, and Asanga Welikala of CPA nars on and and he Marga ays arshney, Professor theme of xplaining
olicy Alternatives, No 24/2, 28th Lane-Off Flower Road, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka.
,with Professor Nicholas Haysom, on invitation of the Uva Wellassa Women Farmers Association, participated in a public seminar on the Sri Lankan Peace Process held for approximately 200 attendees. 2nd - 17th Sept, Gummersbach, Germany. Reshma Harjani of Social Indicator participated in a two-week workshop organised by the International Academy for Leadership of FNST on Globalisation and Regionalism Sept 18th Osaka, Japan, Bhavani Fonseka of the Legal Unit IDEA, a rogramm
left to participate in the Pan Asian Youth Leadership Summit.
elopment s of the mporary
From Pakistan, mid August. A 22 member multi-party delegation comprising members from Pakistan Muslim League, Pakistan People’s Party, Alliance of Religious Parties [MMA], Muhajir Quami Movement, Muslim conference [from Asad Kashmir] members from the National and Provincial ches to
Assemblies of Pakistan, two Mayors, officers of the armed Review
forces and representatives of the academic and the private fessor of
sector visited Sri Lanka on a study tour were briefed by rperson,
Kethesh Loganathan, Head, Peace and Conflict Analysis Unit and Asanga Welikala, Research Associate of the Legal and cking of
Constitutional Reforms Unit on the problems and challenges garding
facing the peace process in Sri Lanka. s part of
A delegation of the Burmese-Government-in-Exile headed erations
by Dr Tint Swe of the National League for Democracy arative
(NLD),a Member of Parliament, visited CPA and held to learn
discussions on the prevailing situation in Burma, including r federal
the pro-democracy movement, human rights situation and the constitutional reforms process. CPA was represented by a three
Kethesh Loganathan,Dr Devanesan Nesiah, Consultant and Federal
Asanga Welika.
hop on reness g, with quipped
DED
Conflict gational a panel g a New
Director, y Years ars of on the and the
, CPA , hop on roject of
f Social rdinator ed in a for the tate of d its Sri th Social
drisinha ce Boat ucted a
Visiting Delegations
gust
tember
LATEST PUBLICATIONS
Compiled by Chandrika Gadiewasam
(Contents of this newsletter may be reproduced and/ or re-published with due accreditation to 'Alternatives- CPA')
Fiscal Arrangements in a Federal Sri Lanka (a monograph by Asanga Welikala- also available in Sinhala)
Pederalvadaya (Sinhala translation of the Forum of Federation's newsletter FEDERATIONS)
Madhya Vimarshi (May-July and August Issues)